The Ohio Parole Board unanimously recommended that Jeffrey Hill’s death sentence be commuted to life in prison with the possibility of parole. Hill, who is scheduled to be executed on March 3, was convicted of murdering his mother while under the influence of drugs. The parole board noted the “compelling and unanimous opinion” of the victim’s family that her son and killer should not be executed. The board said, “They have suffered tremendous loss, and execution would add further to their suffering.” In a letter to a local paper’s editor last month, the victim’s brother and Hill’s uncle, Eddie Sanders, pled for clemency. “For 18 years, we have grieved Emma’s passing,” Sanders wrote. “As a family, we have gone through enough. Executing Jeffrey will not bring Emma back or negate our suffering. We already have suffered through the burial of a dear loved one. Our family hopes the state of Ohio honors Emma’s wishes and does not force us to bury another.”

Hamilton County Prosecutor, Joseph Deters, announced he will no longer push for the execution given the parole board’s recommendation and family’s wishes. “I would have preferred he stayed in jail the rest of his life,” Deters said. “We’ve done our job. Part of the law says this is something the governor can do.” Ohio Governor Ted Strickland will make the final determination on clemency.

(A. Johnson, “Parole board favors clemency for man who stabbed his mom to death,” Columbus Dispatch, February 9, 2009). See Victims and Clemency.